Adopting a pet is the best way to own a pet, and you don’t need an animal welfare activist to tell you that. If you look around, especially in India, there are innumerable stray cats, dogs, and birds who loiter around the streets looking for scraps of food and water. Infact, animal lovers and welfare NGOs have helped animals by participating in the #PledgeABowl initiative this year, to help the urban stray this summer, by providing bowls of water, so that they don’t die of dehydration. All of these helpless animals need a home. Here to lead by example, these celebrities dismissed the concept of buying a pet from a breeder, and instead chose to adopt a pet that needed a loving home.

Have a look at your favourite celebrities with their unbelievably cute rescue animals:

George Clooney and Einstein

Clooney has already adopted his third dog, but his rescued cocker spaniel Einstein is closest to his heart.

Anne Hathaway and Kenobi

Anne Hathaway and her husband Adam Shulman have a new addition to their family – Kenobi.

Sandra Bullock and her 3 rescues

Poppy, a Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix with three legs. Ruby, a two-legged Chihuahua, and BeBe (not pictured), a Chihuahua that’s missing an eye.

Hilary Swank with Rumi and Kai

A strong animal rights activist, she is co-producing Fox’s Cause for Paws: an all star dog special show.

Jennifer Aniston and Sophie

Jennifer gave Sophie, a pitbull, a beautiful home.

Miley Cyrus and Milky

This is Miley’s adorable white rescue pitbull named Milky.

Ryan Reynolds and Baxter

He fell in love with Baxter when he visited a dog shelter in Texas.

Charlize Theron and Tucker

A passionate animal welfare activist, she has adopted at least 4 rescue dogs.

Ariana Grande and Toulouse

Toulouse’s life changed after Ariana Grande adopted him from an animal shelter home.

Ed Sheeran and Graham

Here’s another cat person. Ed Sheeran adopted little Graham, and even made a Twitter account for him!

Selena Gomez and Baylor

Baylor is Selena Gomez’s 6th rescue pup.

Orlando Bloom and Sidi

He found Sidi while shooting for a film in Africa.

Miranda Lambert and her six rescues

We sure have a dog lover here. Miranda adopted 3 of them from a shelter home, and she found the other 3 in various places.

John Legend and Penny

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen added Penny, a three-legged pup to their family full of dogs.

We can all learn from these celebrities who chose to adopt rather than buy, and look to adopt our own community of stray animals, to help them in any way that we can.

If you have a film idea that isn’t just a crowd-pleaser but is also a catalyst for social change, look no further for funds. You don’t need a high budgeted production house to fund your film, and then have them dictate the way you make it. All you need is a unique concept. And for funds, read on to find out 5 reasons why you should crowdfund your film today –

Financial assistance

The cost of pre-production, production, and post-production can be covered through the amount you raise via your crowdfunding campaign. Additionally, it is a very quick and easy method of raising funds with little or no investment. Innovation in technology allows everything to happen digitally, including the donations from supporters.

Gain a loyal supporter base

Film crowdfunding has much more to offer than just funding. The only reason that a person would contribute to you is when they think your film idea is worth it. Therefore, you can develop a large supporter base of people who have donated to your film, and are eager to watch it. This can further lead your supporters to share the enthusiasm with their close network of family and friends.

Maintain creative control

You might think that the easiest way to fund a film is by going to a production house. Yes, it is easy, and the budgets might be large, but it come with disadvantages. Very often, the filmmaker loses sight of how he/she envisioned the film concept because of excessive interference from production houses. The benefit of crowdfunding is that the filmmaker can not only keep his creative freedom but also have the rights to it.

Efficient marketing tool

Crowdfunding for films is about interaction. The success of your campaign relies heavily on how you market it, and to whom you market it. A filmmaker can raise money online and use his crowdfunding marketing activities to bring traction to his film, and vice-versa. If there are known actors onboard, then the task gets even easier.

Make a difference

Last, but most importantly, if your film has the ability to add value to society, or spread awareness about a certain cause, there is no reason why your crowdfunding ideas should fail. If you know that your film has elements that benefit others, then that’s your biggest reason to crowdfund it.

4% of the world’s billionaire are of Indian origin. In comparison to most developing countries, philanthropy in India has grown a lot in the recent years. No longer are we caught in the stereotype that the Indian population is engaged in philanthropy and giving, but only when it comes to temples and religious institutions. In the recent years, it has been observed that India’s younger generation has created a new wave of social responsibility in giving. As the Indian economy is growing with the spending capacity of people increasing, the individualistic mindset of people is also undergoing a change. Such a change in thought isn’t just limited to individuals and groups, but also corporate, who have recognized the benefits of what has been termed as – ‘strategic giving’.

Let’s begin by understanding what strategic giving really is. No, it isn’t just an annual CSR activity where you sign a grant cheque for a non profit, and in turn gain some goodwill. The relationship between a corporate and a nonprofit is much more nuanced, in a way that ensures both are equal beneficiaries of the partnership. This means companies ensure that their charitable giving activities are targeted towards a certain issue that will support their own business objectives. For that, companies need a pre-determined strategy that includes, goals, budgets, investments, and long-term giving objectives. That said, strategic giving can be narrowed down by certain criteria that define its underlying logic.

Fundraising activities are chosen based on pragmatic rationale, as opposed to emotion.

A company’s fundraiser will have a common area of focus, one that aligns to its value objectives.

A strategic giver aims to give larger donations, but to fewer causes.

Strategic giving isn’t just about money, but also about volunteering, collaboration, and activating personal networks.

Contemporary philanthropy has taken many different forms. With technology and digitization playing a major role in our lives, the newer generation is leaning towards online giving through online donations. One simply has to choose an online crowdfunding platform and set up a campaign for the cause. Especially with the impact of demonetization on our economy, crowdfunding in India is picking up pace quickly. All of these factors, among others, need to be taken into consideration before creating a concrete plan of strategic giving for an organization. Besides, it’s not enough to just have an initial plan, such a form of philanthropy is an ongoing process that requires timely monitoring and evaluation. To provide deeper insight into such a process, we’ve listed out the elements that one should consider before developing a plan of strategic philanthropy.

The fundamental reason for giving

Define your aspirations. The underlying theme of any philanthropic activity needs to be to create an impact and bring a change. If you are able to understand the purpose you want to achieve through your charitable deeds and donations, then you’ll have more clarity on how to go about it. The best way to figure this one out is by imagining the outcome you would like to see from your efforts. When you know which cause matter to you most, you’ll be able to carefully select a few organizations to support.

How you’ll go about it

Consolidate all the resources you are putting in. This means you need to determine your financial resources available for donations, your team that will be involved, volunteer work, and the time you can dedicate to the project.

The channels through which you will give

Determining a tangible way to donate, one that best suits your organization is an important element of strategic giving. With the development of concepts like crowdfunding, most people are opting for online giving. Also remember that money isn’t everything. You can add value, through personal resources, personal networks, communication assistance, etc.

The time frame

How far ahead are you willing to commit? In most cases, strategic giving involves a long-term relationship, wherein the nonprofit and the company are dependent on each other in equal parts. Having long-term plans allow financial stability to a nonprofit. However, the time frame depends entirely on a company’s business forecast.

Strategic philanthropists are most successful when their charitable giving reflects the vision and mission of their own businesses. The reason is that donating to an organization doesn’t just mean giving a donation, but it means that you have aligned yourself with their cause. Therefore it is vital to pick organizations that you are comfortable being associated with for a long time. Going further beyond, organizations should aim to leave a legacy with their philanthropic strategy. Take the example of the TATA group, that is known and honored for their contribution in the charitable sector. With regards to philanthropy in India, the TATA group formed one of the largest trusts that has fueled innumerable development projects in the country.

Strategic giving make a difference not only in how you are viewed, but also in increasing business opportunities, drawing in employees, as well as in providing a meaningful way to express one’s personal philosophies. Now, more than ever, corporates are in the midst of a culture that propagates social responsibility. With an array of options such as online fundraising and crowdfunding, corporates have the chance to grow their philanthropic portfolio and make it as comprehensive as possible. Implementing a strong strategy for giving is the best way to do well in your own ventures, as well as to make a difference in society.

About Us

Impact Guru is a donation based crowdfunding platform for Indians across the world to give back to their country. We offer global crowdfunding solutions for individuals and organizations fundraising for medical causes, social causes, personal causes, creative projects, and various events. Incubated at Harvard Innovation Lab’s Venture Initiation Program in 2014 and PACT at Impact Hub in Singapore in the year 2015, Impact Guru has mobilised INR 329 Crores for various NGOs and social enterprises in more than 15 countries.